Deception
by AtlantisGate
Summary: COMPLETED! An offworld trip leaves Elizabeth in the hands of the enemy. Team action – some Shweir pairing.
1. New Friends

Title: Deception

Spoilers: not really, but takes place after The Hive

Season: Two

Summary: An off-world trip leaves Elizabeth in the hands of the enemy. Team action – some Shweir pairing.

Disclaimer: Stargate Atlantis, characters, etc. do not belong to me, but it would be really cool if they did.

Notes: This is my first fanfic, so please be kind. :) I hope you like it. There's some fluff in the beginning, but the action starts soon. Enjoy!

* * *

Sitting at her desk, Elizabeth was reading through an operations report when John entered. She glanced up and flashed a quick smile. He sat down on the edge of her desk. "The Castorians have agreed to work with us, but the Prime Minister insists on meeting you in person to finalize the deal."

"Well" she said leaning back in her chair, "Since they have agreed to provide us with a much needed supply of food, I guess I can spare a day to meet with him." She chuckled, "Who knows…maybe I can get him to throw in a ZPM too."

He tilted his head and gave her a half smile, "Well, if anyone could do it, you could. We're going back tomorrow morning."

"All right, I'll be there."

* * *

She stepped through the gate and wondered if she'd ever get used to the way it felt. As she looked around, she noticed a small delegation standing a few feet away from the gate. These people were advanced – very modern and technologically superior to others they had met in the Pegasus galaxy. They had much to learn from each other. Yes, this was definitely worth her time, even though she wasn't fond of going off-world and leaving Atlantis solely in the care of others.

As her eyes scanned the group, she noticed a tall, handsome man standing in the middle. Their eyes met, he smiled and began to walk towards her. "Doctor Weir?"

"Yes" she replied.

He tried to cover his surprise, but it was too late, his expression betrayed him, "I'm sorry…you are not what I expected. In Castoria, all of our leaders are male. I assumed that you would be..." He stopped and scanned her face trying to gauge her reaction.

"Anyway" he said, attempting to recover, "I can tell you that I am pleasantly surprised – delighted actually. It's not often that I am able to entertain someone as lovely as you."

Caught by surprise, Elizabeth flushed. Since leaving Simon back home, she had almost forgot what it felt like to be the recipient of male attention. As the leader of the Atlantis expedition, no one had dared to shower her with such flattery. She demanded respect. Only John had been able to penetrate her tough shell, but still she kept him at a distance—always the consummate professional.

Of course, John noticed the rapid change in the Prime Minister's attitude. He had an uneasy feeling as he watched the Prime Minister offer his arm to Elizabeth and lead her into the city. John grimaced as they walked away laughing and smiling. "I can't believe it. He's flirting with her," he thought.

* * *

"I have truly enjoyed our discussion Prime Minister Azarius. And, I trust that our new alliance will be beneficial for all of our people"

"Please…call me Jacob"

"All right…Jacob, it's been an honor meeting you. I look forward to future discussions. Maybe next time you will be able to visit us on Atlantis"

"Yes, that would be wonderful. I think we have much we can learn from each other. Besides, it's not often that I have the opportunity to interact with someone whose intelligence matches her beauty." He smiled and waited for their eyes to meet, "Please, will you stay tonight? I have prepared a banquet to celebrate our new alliance. I would like you to be my guest of honor."

His flattery unnerved her, "I wasn't expecting to stay…"

He interrupted, "Don't worry. We will make sure you have everything you need"

He smiled slyly and reached for her hand, "Please, it would be an insult if you did not stay to celebrate with us."

Elizabeth knew she should return home, but there was something magnetic about this man. He was charming and difficult to refuse. She enjoyed his company. Besides, she thought, it would be an insult to reject his offer, "I'll stay."

As they exited the Prime Minister's office, John was standing guard outside. She glanced over at him. "Jacob has invited us to stay overnight for a celebration in honor of our new alliance"

"Well, that's very nice of you, _Jacob_" he said with a hint of sarcasm. He didn't like the way Jacob looked at Elizabeth, and he certainly didn't want to stay overnight. He locked eyes with Elizabeth, and she gave him one of those looks that said it was non-negotiable. They were definitely staying for the evening festivities.

* * *

The Castorians knew how to celebrate…although it was too formal for John's taste. The banquet hall was elaborately decorated, and Rodney was already enjoying a sampling of the exotic cuisines.

As John walked up to Teyla and Ronan, he noticed how different they looked. The Prime Minister made sure they had appropriate attire for the party. He had never seen Ronan dress up for any event, and he looked very uncomfortable. Teyla, on the other hand, looked at ease in the blue, full length gown that the Castorians had provided.

"Well, don't you two look nice" said John. Teyla smiled, and Ronan grimaced.

"How long do we have to stay here" Ronan asked as Rodney walked up to the group with a plate full of food.

"This is great. Have you tried the salmon? It's amazing. I haven't had food this good since we left earth. This is…" His voice trailed off and his jaw dropped as he stared at something behind John.

Ronan saw it too. His eyes widened as he stared appreciatively. John turned around slowly to see what had captivated them. Anything that had Rodney speechless had to be good. He turned towards the door, and then he saw her. Elizabeth. She was wearing a red, strapless gown that hugged her body in all the right places. She was stunning. He couldn't take his eyes off her.

John noticed that her eyes were scanning the room. She was looking for a familiar face. Her eyes met his, and she smiled warmly.

John composed himself, and started to walk towards her while Ronan and Rodney continued to stare. As he got closer, a tall figure appeared in front of her. It was the Prime Minister. He grabbed her hand and politely kissed her cheek. They exchanged words, and he began to lead her away. She glanced back over her shoulder and gave John an apologetic look. John watched Jacob lead her to the main table at the front of the banquet hall. He turned around with a sigh and walked back to the team.

* * *

"Please, dance with me" Jacob whispered to Elizabeth. The music was playing and couples were already moving across the large dance floor. She protested at first, but finally agreed to join him.

As they danced, she realized that she was actually enjoying herself. It had been a long time since she was able to relax and have some fun.

John couldn't help but watch the couple glide across the dance floor. When it came to Elizabeth, he was very protective, but she was having a good time. He should be happy for her. Nevertheless, he was relieved when the Prime Minister's aide, Elias, approached, "I hate to interrupt them while they are dancing, but I have an urgent matter that the Prime Minister must attend to."

"I'll do it" John said quickly. "Besides" he lied, "I need to speak with Dr. Weir."

Jacob stopped suddenly. Elizabeth turned and saw Colonel Sheppard standing behind her. "Mind if I cut in?" he asked with a smile. Then, he looked at Jacob and told him that his aide needed to speak with him. Jacob shot his aide a disapproving look, and excused himself gracefully. "Unfortunately, my work is never done. I hope to return to you soon."

As Jacob walked away, John smiled and extended his arms to Elizabeth in an inviting gesture that would have been hard for any woman to resist. She narrowed her eyes and tried to disguise her smile as she moved in to embrace her new dance partner. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to join you earlier. Is everyone enjoying the party?"

"Well, Rodney is having a great time. I think he sampled every dish in the room." She chuckled, "Of course he did." He couldn't help but notice how her green eyes sparked when she laughed. He liked it when she smiled. She had been under a tremendous amount of strain over the past few months. It was good to see her this way – relaxed and at ease.

As they talked, the music transitioned into a slow ballad. They hesitated and looked around at the other couples. They saw Teyla and Ronan adjusting their stance as the music slowed. So, Elizabeth leaned in closer and John wrapped his arms around her waist. She looked up in his eyes and offered a half-smile, which he returned nervously.

Elizabeth felt comfortable in his arms. She would never admit it, but she was attracted to John. Maybe it was his boyishly handsome good looks or the way he smiled at her. Maybe it was because they had been through so much together, and he was the only one that she could confide in. It was difficult to pinpoint, but for now, she was at peace. She laid her head against his shoulder, enjoying the music and the moment.

All too soon, her solace was gone. Screams, and the sound of gunfire, permeated the ballroom. She jumped, startled by the loud noises. John watched as armed men entered the doors. He quickly took a protective stance in front of her. They were military, but he didn't recognize them. They weren't the Prime Minister's guards. "What the hell is going on?" he thought. More gunfire erupted, and he crouched down with Elizabeth, turning protectively to shield her with his body.

"Do as we say and none of you will be hurt"

John caught Ronan's eye and motioned for him to stay where he was. He wanted to see what was going on before they made any moves.

* * *

TBC -- pls. review and let me know if you like it. More chapters on the way... 


	2. Taken

The team had fully secured the room. By John's count, there were about 30 armed men. They were skilled, and the operation was well-organized.

It was only a few minutes before the leader spoke, "Dr Weir…I am looking for Dr. Weir" he said as he searched the crowd.

The crowd remained silent. No one moved. John was shocked. How did they know her name? Why did they want her? He looked carefully at Elizabeth, silently motioning for her to stay where she was. She nodded in agreement.

"I know you are here. If you do not come forward, I will have to resort to some very unpleasant methods to find you." He paused, waiting for an answer. Silence.

He violently grabbed a woman standing nearby. "You have 30 seconds to come forward. If you do not, I will kill this woman. And, I will continue to kill others until you reveal yourself."

Elizabeth sighed and closed her eyes. She couldn't let this happen. She must step forward. She looked up at John. He met her gaze, and then looked back at the man who was holding a gun to the head of his terrified hostage.

"I am Dr. Weir" he said.

The man turned his head quickly to look at John. He released the hostage, pushing her to the ground. He smiled slowly as he walked towards John. "Nice try...but, we know that Dr. Weir is a woman." His cold eyes locked on to the attractive woman standing slightly behind John. "So, you must be Dr. Weir – Dr. _Elizabeth_ Weir."

She stared coldly at him, but didn't respond. John stepped forward, carefully placing himself in between Elizabeth and his adversary. "What do you want? Who are you?"

"Colonel Sheppard, I presume?" John frowned. How did this man know so much about them?

"You know a lot about us," Elizabeth finally broke her silence, "What is this about? We have come here to help your people – to be allies. Why are you doing this?"

He ignored her questions and motioned to his men, "You will come with us now."

As the guards moved towards Elizabeth, John suddenly pulled a gun from underneath his suit jacket. He aimed it at the leader's head and said coldly. "Dr. Weir isn't going anywhere."

The guards responded, lifting their weapons and pointing them at John and Elizabeth.

"Think about it Sheppard" he paused and said smugly, "You could shoot me, but my men would kill you and they would take Dr. Weir anyway."

John stared intensely into his dark eyes, but he would not yield.

"I recommend that you stand down."

"No" John clenched his jaw. He would not let them take her. It was an impossible situation. His mind was working quickly, trying to think of a way to get them out of this, but he was clearly outgunned and disadvantaged.

"Kill him"

"No..stop" Elizabeth cried. She walked forward and put her hand on John's arm, gently lowering his weapon. "I will go with you."

John looked at her incredulously, "Elizabeth…" His dark, intense eyes locked with hers. He feared for her safety. He would never forgive himself if anything happened to her, but there was no choice. She had to go, and he knew it. John glanced over at Ronan and Teyla hoping for some help, but there was nothing they could do. None of them, except John, had brought a gun. They didn't think they would need them at such a formal affair – at a celebration of their new alliance.

They were wrong.

As Elizabeth stepped in front of John, one of the guards grabbed her, jerking her off-balance. John instinctively stepped forward to protect her. As he did, the other guards cocked their weapons and took aim. He froze. Elizabeth glanced back at him, hoping that he would not do anything extreme.

John glared at the leader, who smiled coldly, grabbed Elizabeth and ushered her out of the room.

* * *

TBC… 


	3. Surprises

_Wow, thanks for all the reviews! I'm glad you all are enjoying it._

_Also, thanks for letting me know that I was spelling Ronon's name wrong – oops! That's what happens when you're new. :)_

* * *

"Wraith sympathizers?" he cried loudly, unable to control his rage.

"Colonel Sheppard, please…we will help you get her back" promised Jacob.

"Wraith sympathizers? You have to be kidding – there can't really be people here who are sympathetic to the Wraith" Rodney said.

Teyla looked at Rodney, "Yes, there are rumors about those who serve – even worship -- the Wraith. In exchange for their service, their lives are spared."

"It's true. I've met some of them." John said.

They looked at John, surprised. "Long story…I ran into them back on the hive ship with Ford."

"Why do they want Dr. Weir?" Rodney asked.

"That's the part that confuses me." Jacob responded, "We have run into these groups in the past, but they leave us alone if we do not interfere with their activities. Because they serve the Wraith, we have been safe from the cullings for many years now. So, it is an arrangement that is mutually beneficial." He paused, "Of course, we have operatives inside the group to keep an eye on them. There was no indication of any intent to harm your team. I never would have intentionally put Dr. Weir in harm's way." Suddenly, a thought entered his head, "Colonel Sheppard, you mentioned that you have met sympathizers before."

"Yes"

"Have you given them a reason to take the leader of your world hostage?"

John couldn't believe it. Was it possible that this had nothing to do with the Castorians? Had the Wraith somehow found out they were here?

"We need to find her now" he said, suddenly realizing the urgency of the situation. His stomach churned at the thought. Elizabeth would resist. The questioning would be painful. If she did not tell them what they needed to know, they would kill her.

He looked at Rodney, "They want to use her to find their way to Earth."

* * *

Elizabeth awoke in a cold, dark room. She was lying on the floor. As she sat up, she noticed that the room was bare with concrete walls. It was like being in solitary confinement.

She had no idea why she had been brought here. After leaving the ballroom, they injected her with a substance that put her to sleep.

She shivered and wished for a jacket. "Why did I have to wear the strapless dress?" she muttered to herself.

In the distance, she heard a noise – a door creaking, then footsteps coming closer. She stood. The door to her prison opened, and she came face-to-face with her captor, a Wraith.

She gasped and stepped back as the hive queen entered the room, "Oh my God." This wasn't what she had been expecting.


	4. Betrayed

"Lorne, I need two teams in puddle jumpers here, now!" Sheppard barked orders over his radio while Rodney devised a plan to locate Dr. Weir.

"Once again, I have to do the impossible in record time. What would you people do without me?" complained Rodney.

"Can you do it?" asked Sheppard.

"Can I do it? Of course I can do it. It's just that…"

"Rodney" John glared at him. The look in his eyes caused Rodney to stop his ranting and get back to work.

"Ronon, Teyla, I need you to speak with the operatives to understand where she might have been taken. Once we narrow it down to a village, hopefully McKay will be able to zone in on her exact location, then we'll use the puddle jumpers to get there and extract her."

"I'm linking into their systems now. The Castorians implant a marker chip at birth so that the population can be tracked. When we scan the village for life signs, theoretically, Elizabeth will be the one life sign without this tracking device," explained Rodney.

"What do you mean, theoretically?" questioned Ronon.

"Well, if the sympathizers have found a way to remove the tracking devices, then we'll have no way of knowing which life sign is Elizabeth's."

"Let's hope that's not the case," Sheppard furrowed his brow. They couldn't run through a village trying to locate her. They had precious little time. This had to work. Her life depended on it.

Rodney looked up from his computer and glanced back at John, "Yes, let's hope."

* * *

Elizabeth mustered all the courage she had. She stiffened her back and looked defiantly into the eyes of her Wraith captor. What she saw next was almost as surprising to her as being held captive by a Wraith hive queen. Entering the room was the Prime Minister's trusted aide. 

"Elias?" she said shocked.

His once friendly face was now cold and expressionless. "Dr. Weir"

"Why are you doing..."

Her question was interrupted by the queen. "Silence! I understand you are from a world that can provide us with a rich new feeding ground. I want to know how to find this world, and you are going to tell me."

Elizabeth felt a chill go down her spine as she realized why she had been brought here. She would never give up the location to earth – to the place where her friends and family lived safe from the threat of the Wraith. No, it was a secret she would take to her grave. "Where are you John?" she thought to herself. She could only hope that she would live long enough for him to find her. She took comfort in the fact that he was out there searching for her and hoped that he wouldn't arrive too late. She needed to stall.

Elizabeth tried to appeal to Elias. She looked past the Wraith and stared at him, "You are human. You know what will happen to my people if I disclose the location of my world. How could you let that happen?"

Suddenly, she felt the sting of pain on her face and tasted blood as the queen backhanded her, "He serves me – worships me. He will not listen to you," the queen leaned forward, her face inches from Elizabeth's. "You will tell us, and then I will take pleasure in feeding upon you."

"It won't happen. I will never tell you."

"Yes, Dr. Weir, you will." She turned to face Elias, "Obtain the information we need, and do it quickly." Then she was gone.

Elias closed the door. They were alone. Elizabeth looked at him accusingly. He was a disgrace to his people. She did not try to hide her disdain for him.

"I know what you are thinking, but in return for my service, the Wraith let my people live in peace."

Her eyes narrowed. She was angry, "So, you would allow my people to be slaughtered in exchange for the lives of your own?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't have a choice."

"Yes, you do."

"I will not take pleasure in hurting you, but I will do it, if necessary. Tell me how to find your world."

"I can't do that," She stared at him defiantly. He stepped forward, grabbed her throat and slammed her roughly to the ground.

* * *

"We got it," said Ronon as he and Teyla ran into the room. "One of the operatives confirmed that she is being held in Rigella, a village about 30 miles south of here." 

"Okay Rodney…get to work. Let's find her."

"Right, I just need to…" Rodney ran over to his computer and started to type. "Yes…Yes, I think I have it. Look," he touched a button and the information on his computer was projected onto a large screen so everyone could see it.

"There…the building in the middle of the complex. You see…two life signs without tracking devices." He smiled proudly.

"Which one is Elizabeth?" questioned John.

Rodney looked bothered and started punching keys on the computer again. After a few seconds, he looked up, "I don't know."

Just then, Major Lorne walked in, "The puddle jumpers are standing by. We're ready to go on your command, sir."

John looked over at Lorne, "We found her…well, sort of. Rodney, you're with me. Try to figure out which one is Dr. Weir before we get there."

He looked over at the rest of his team, "Let's move out."

* * *

Bruised and battered, Elizabeth was starting to fade. Elias' interrogation was relentless. Every muscle in her body was crying out in pain and she could barely stand. She winced as she muttered the words, "You can kill me, but I will never lead you to earth." 

Another slap in the face brought Elizabeth to her knees. She desperately wanted to cry, but she would never give him the satisfaction.

"I won't kill you, but I can inflict enough pain to make you wish that you were dead." He paused and decided to try a new tactic, "You will not win. The Wraith will never stop until they find your world. It's not too late for you, though. You might be able to negotiate a deal to save your life."

Elizabeth did not respond.

He knelt down and put his hand underneath her chin, lifting her face to meet his. "You know, you are a very beautiful woman. We do have other ways of obtaining the information we need." He paused for effect. "If you continue to refuse, I will have to take this interrogation to the next level."

Elizabeth felt the fear rising inside her. She tried to hide it, but was too late. He saw it in her eyes and smiled coldly. "It's your choice, Dr Weir. Tell me, or face the consequences." He traced her jaw line with his finger. She recoiled and spit in his face. His dark eyes flashed at her. He stood and wiped his face.

"I will let you think about my offer. For your sake, I hope you change your mind."

* * *

TBC – Please R&R 


	5. Rigella

_Thanks for the encouragement and reviews! Keep 'em coming and I'll write faster. :)

* * *

_

By the time they arrived in Rigella, John had already devised a plan. They would land two of the jumpers on the outskirts of the village so the residents would not be alerted to their presence. The two strike teams would walk from there. A cloaked jumper carrying Dr. Beckett would hover above the building that held Elizabeth in case they met with too much resistance or needed immediate medical assistance.

It was a few hours from daybreak, so the strike teams were able to disguise their approach into the city under the darkness of the night. They moved slowly, purposefully. John was glad it was not the middle of the day. The streets were almost deserted. It was easy to move in undetected.

He surveyed the layout as they approached their destination. It was a large warehouse. There was one exit in front and one in back. He motioned to Lorne, instructing him to move his team to the back of the building. Lorne nodded and moved his men into position.

Under the cover of darkness, John and his team silently moved to the front of the building. John pointed at Ronon and Teyla and signaled for them to move to the other side of the door as they prepared to enter the building. Rodney was confused.

"What do I do?" He whispered, "I'm sorry, I don't understand the.." he mimicked John's hand signals indicating that he didn't understand the signs. John rolled his eyes, put a finger to his mouth and motioned for Rodney to stand behind him.

Breaking radio silence, John clicked his headset and said "Move in." Immediately, both teams broke through the doors and entered the building.

In no time, they were taking fire. John crouched behind large crates that were stacked up on the left side of the room. The gunfire seemed to be coming from across the room and from a location on his right.

John focused his attention on the hostiles on the right, trusting that Lorne's team would take out the ones on the other side of the room. John listened to the shots trying to pinpoint the location from which they were coming. He peeked around the crates and waited for the men to come out from behind their cover. He aimed and squeezed out two shots. Both men went down. A few seconds later, Ronon took out another one, and Teyla got the last one.

Afterwards, they grouped together scanning the room to make sure they hadn't missed anyone. As they moved towards the center of the room, Lorne's team approached, "All clear."

They were in a large warehouse filled with crates, boxes and weapons. It was probably a storage facility for the mercenary group. To the left was a hall leading down to a basement area. To the right was another hallway and steps leading up to a second story area.

They separated into teams of two. Teyla and Ronon took the hallway to the right. Major Lorne and one of his men went up the stairs. The remaining two from Lorne's team remained in the main warehouse to guard it and keep their escape route open.

John and Rodney moved towards the basement. It was where Rodney thought Elizabeth was being held.

* * *

When Elias returned, Elizabeth was resting against the wall, sitting on the cold concrete floor with her legs pulled up to her chest. She was staring into the corner and did not look up as he entered. 

"Have you thought about my offer – your life in exchange for the information we need?" he queried.

She did not respond and continued to look away.

He slowly approached, stopping only inches away from where she sat, "Tell me."

He bent down becoming angry about her lack of response, "It's your last chance."

Elizabeth continued to ignore him, realizing that there was nothing she could do to change his mind. She had already tried to negotiate with him. He was beyond reason. Besides, she was certain that the Hive queen would kill her anyway, regardless of any "deal" she might make with Elias.

He grabbed her roughly by the shoulders and jerked her to her feet. She gasped and finally looked into his eyes. They were chilling and dark. Hatred was seething through them. She tried to wrestle her arms free, but his grip was tight. He pinned her arms against the wall and moved in to press his lips against hers. She bit his lip, determined to fight back with every ounce of strength left within her. He looked at her angrily and backhanded her. She cried out in pain.

* * *

John and Rodney cautiously went down the stairs that led to the basement area. It looked like an old bomb shelter. At the bottom of the stairs were two large blast doors. John slid one open as quietly as possible. He was hoping that Elizabeth's captors had not been alerted to their presence. It was unlikely that the sounds of gunfire had been able to permeate the concrete bomb shelter. The element of surprise would give them an advantage. 

He glanced back at Rodney who was clearly nervous. He was gripping his gun tightly with shaking hands. Unfortunately, he wouldn't be much help. At least he was quiet, which was unusual for Rodney.

They walked down the dark musty corridor, stopping to investigate each room. There was no sign of life – or Elizabeth. They were about halfway down the hall in a dark room when they heard a muffled cry. It was so faint that John wasn't sure what he heard. He looked at Rodney, "Did you hear that?"

Rodney looked surprised, "Yes…you heard it too?"

"Elizabeth" they both said in unison and ran out of the room.

* * *

Rodney and Teyla found themselves in the living quarters. Most of the rooms were empty. The building housed only a few soldiers. As they walked down the hall together, Teyla stopped suddenly. Ronon continued forward until he realized that Teyla was not following him. He looked back at her. She had a somber expression on her face. 

"There is a Wraith here," she looked up at him. "I can sense its presence."

"Oh great," Ronon frowned and switched his weapon off stun mode.

They moved cautiously towards the closed door at the end of the hall. Ronon readied his gun as they prepared to enter the room. He was surprised when the door knob turned easily. He had an uneasy feeling that this could be a trap, but he didn't care. Ronon swung the door wide open, revealing a large, elaborately decorated living room. He and Teyla moved in with their weapons raised. Their eyes scanned the empty room.

"Where is everyone?" Ronon whispered to Teyla.

She frowned, sharing the same uneasy feeling that Ronon had. She could still sense the presence of the Wraith and felt it was very near. Looking around, she saw a hallway on the right and two doors on the left side of the room. Teyla jerked her head towards the hall, silently indicating to Ronon that they should search it.

They turned and moved towards the hall. Ronon had only taken a few steps before he heard a noise behind him. Almost immediately, he felt the sting of a stun gun. He managed to turn his head and get a quick glimpse of the hive queen before he went down.

Teyla turned and froze. Standing in front of her was the hive queen whose presence she had sensed. Behind the queen Wraith were 10 mercenaries with their weapons aimed at her.

"Where is Dr. Weir?" Teyla asked, ignoring the fact that she was outnumbered and Ronon was out cold on the ground next to her.

The Wraith silently glared at Teyla, eyeing her up and down. She moved forward and slowly began to walk around Teyla, "I sense that you are not like the others. You are not from their world."

"No," Teyla replied.

"Then you are of no use to me"

Teyla's eyes widened as she felt the strong force of the Wraith pushing her down to her knees. Her weapon fell on the floor as she no longer had the ability to hold it. The queen walked forward as a wicked smile formed on her face. "I sense that you are very strong. I will savor your strength."

The Wraith raised her hand and brought it down forcefully towards Teyla. It was only inches away from her chest when the first sounds of gunfire erupted from the hallway outside. The Wraith scowled and retreated down the inner hallway as Lorne and Reeder ran into the room.

Teyla dropped on her side and re-acquired her weapon. She fired in the direction of the retreating Wraith. The mercenaries returned fire protecting the queen as they made their exit.

The battle was over quickly. Four men had been hit, but the queen and the other mercenaries escaped. Lorne helped Teyla to her feet, and Reeder checked on Ronon who was already rousing from the stun he took moments earlier.

"Should we go after them?" Lorne questioned.

* * *

John was the first one through the door. When he saw Elias pressing himself against Elizabeth, he felt a murderous rage surface inside him. John rushed to him and threw him against the wall. He would kill him for touching her. Elias tried to fight back and pulled a knife from his belt. John welcomed the attack. It gave him more reason to make Elias pay for what he had done to Elizabeth. Elias lunged towards John with the knife. John side-stepped, grabbed the knife and broke Elias' arm in one swift movement. Elias fell to the ground writhing in pain. John bent down and began to beat him mercilessly. 

Relief flooded through Elizabeth's body, and she slid to the ground. Rodney rushed over to her side. They both stared at John. She knew he was going to kill Elias. Although she hated him, she couldn't just sit there and watch him die.

"John," she whispered.

John heard her call his name and snapped out of it. He turned his head to look at her. Elizabeth had crumpled to the ground. She was looking directly at him, her eyes pleading with him to stop the beating.

He noticed her black eye and bloodied face and felt rage building up inside him again, but her eyes told him that she needed him. He stood up and walked over to her. Bending down, he gently touched her face. "Are you okay?" he whispered, half-scared of the answer.

She looked away, not wanting to break down in front of him. He leaned in closer and said her name softly, forcing her to turn her gaze back towards him. When she lifted her eyes, they were filled with the tears that she was trying to force back. He felt a swell of emotion rise inside him, "Come here" he said and gently took her into his arms. She shuddered and then sobbed quietly. John's brow furrowed. He couldn't stand to see her in pain. He held her tightly, "It's okay…I'm taking you home." John glanced over at Rodney. With his eyes, he motioned for Rodney to check on Elias. He didn't want him to wake up unexpectedly. Rodney nodded and walked over to Elias. He kicked the knife away and made sure that he was still unconscious.

Elizabeth gathered herself and pulled away from John's embrace. "I'm sorry" she said wiping her eyes and regaining her dignity. He tilted his head and looked at her. His eyes told her there was no reason to apologize. She smiled faintly. John noticed that she was cold, shivering. He wasn't used to seeing her so vulnerable. He took off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders, then he touched his headset and spoke into the radio, "I've got Dr. Weir…we're coming out."

"Elizabeth, there's a jumper waiting outside. You think you can you walk?" John asked.

She shook her head, "No…no, I don't think so."

He nodded and gently picked her up in his arms. She winced as he lifted her. John looked down at her pained face. He didn't want to hurt her, but he needed to get her to the jumper as soon as possible. He didn't want to stay here too long, giving time for the enemy to come and trap them.

"You okay?

"No, but I will be…just get me out of here," she said putting her arms around his neck and resting her head against his shoulder.

"Colonel? This is Lorne. We just had an incident with a Wraith. Do you want us to pursue?"

"No, we need to get Dr. Weir into the jumper. Radio Beckett and have the jumper meet us out front."

"Yes sir. Lorne out."

* * *

_TBC – they're not out of the woods yet…more to come soon. Please let me know what you think _


	6. Retreat

Wow, thanks again for all the great reviews! Here's the next chapter…

* * *

It was too quiet, too easy. John didn't like it, but he had to get Elizabeth back to Atlantis, and the only way to do that was to get her in the jumper. He was gravely concerned about her condition. She needed immediate medical attention and was already going into shock. 

He looked at Lorne, "Let's go." They all nodded and moved into position.

Still cloaked, the jumper was waiting outside the front door. They exited the building together in a protective position around John who was carrying a barely conscious Elizabeth in his arms. The jumper uncloaked, and Beckett ran out as they approached.

John walked past Beckett and sat down in the back of the jumper still holding Elizabeth. After a few moments, his worried eyes locked with Beckett's as he bent down near John and began to investigate her wounds.

John looked around. Everyone was on board.

"Reeder, get us out of here" he ordered.

They would rendezvous with the other jumpers on the outskirts of town and then head back to Atlantis.

As the jumper cleared the warehouse building, it shuddered and there was a loud explosion nearby, "What the…" Reeder exclaimed from the pilot seat.

"What's going on up there, Reeder?" John asked.

"Sir, we've got incoming…Wraith darts."

"Oh, is this day ever going to end?" Rodney said annoyed.

The explosion awakened Elizabeth. She lifted her head and looked up at John. "What's happening?"

"The welcoming party just arrived." He said sarcastically giving her a smile. She narrowed her eyes, arched her right eyebrow and looked at him doubtfully. "Look, I'm going to have to fly us out of here. The ride is going to be a bit bumpy. Can you sit up?" She nodded, and he gently placed her in the seat next to him. He looked over at Beckett and held onto Elizabeth until the doctor could take the seat next to her. Reluctantly, he let go.

The jumper jerked hard to the right. He almost fell. "Sir, I need you up here now!" John took one look back at Elizabeth, who nodded that she would be all right, and then moved quickly to take the over the pilot's seat.

"Why aren't we cloaked?" John asked angrily.

"I think that first hit damaged our cloaking abilities."

"McKay" John yelled, "I need the cloak fixed now."

"Right" said Rodney as he jumped to action and started pulling out side panels. "Now, let's see, uh…do you mind? I'm trying to save our lives here," he barked at one of the men standing in his way.

Sheppard sighed as Wraith darts filled the morning sky. Dawn was breaking. He radioed the other pilots who were standing by in the two jumpers they left outside of town. "Phillips, Ruiz…we could use some help up here."

"On our way, sir," they replied.

John maneuvered the jumper out of the city, but he had 2 darts on his tail, one in front of him, and 5 more quickly approaching from the right. "Hold on," he yelled as he fired at the dart ahead and then made a hard turn to the left to avoid enemy fire.

Rodney tumbled backwards – his computer and wires went flailing with him. "You've got to be kidding me. How do you expect me to fix the cloak while I'm in what could be described as...uh, I don't know...maybethe equivalent of an American roller coaster?" he shouted.

The jumper shuddered again as another shot barely missed it.

"Rodney, I could really use that cloak NOW. What's the hold-up?"

"Well, I would love to sit down over coffee and explain it to you, but I don't really have the …

"Don't start with me, McKay!" John was an expert pilot – the best in Atlantis – but he knew they wouldn't be able to make it to the gate without the cloak. There were too many darts, and all were after him.

"No, no, no, this is not good." McKay muttered to himself while playing with the control conduits.

John focused his attention back on his flying. He managed to evade another shot from one of the darts, but they were gaining on him. It was only a matter of time before they hit the jumper again. He didn't know how many more shots they could take before they went down.

Soon, he heard a welcome voice over the radio, "Sir, we can see you and are ready to assist."

"Engage" John ordered.

Yes, yes, yes…this might work," Rodney said snapping his fingers. "If I reroute the power to these circuits, then the cloaking system may come back online." Rodney opened another panel and made a few adjustments. "Colonel, I think I have it," he yelled.

"Sooner is better, Rodney," replied John. They were faring better with the two other jumpers assisting, but the situation was still perilous.

Rodney sat down with his computer, pushing Lorne out of the way. He started punching buttons and hit the last one with finality. "Okay…now."

"That's it…it worked," said John relieved.

Well, of course it worked," muttered Rodney. He was arrogant, but at the same time, relieved. He knew how close they were to annihilation.

"Well done Rodney," said Elizabeth weakly. He looked over at her, surprised that she was awake and aware of the situation. She smiled, and his haughty attitude melted. He looked back at her thoughtfully, delighted to receive her praise.

"Let's go home," John said from the pilot seat. They all nodded in silent agreement.

* * *

The next few minutes were uneventful. With the cloaking mechanisms working again, they were able to lose the darts that had been attacking them. The atmosphere in the cabin had changed, and everyone was beginning to relax. Dr. Beckett had given Elizabeth some medication to ease her pain. She had managed to thank everyone for coming to her rescue before drifting off to sleep. 

The jumper was packed with people. John had planned to stop and have everyone spread out to the other jumpers, but after the run-in with the Wraith darts, he didn't feel comfortable stopping.

They were near the gate now. Only a few more minutes and they would be home in Atlantis. He would be able to check on Elizabeth and see how she was doing. Only then, would he be able to relax like the others.

He was flying low, barely above the tree line. There was a large clearing about 2-3 miles ahead. That's where the gate was located.

As they approached, his eyes widened, "Dammit!"

Rodney interrupted, "Is that what I think it is?"

Ronon looked up to see what they were talking about, "A hive ship."

"…parked right in front of the gate," John said infuriated. "We can't get around them."

He radioed to Phillips and Ruiz, "Change of plans…it looks like we're going back to Castoria."

* * *

TBC – Please read and review! 


	7. The Threat

_Thanks for all of the encouragement and reviews. They are so inspiring! This chapter is a little short, so I'm giving you two chapters at once. Hope you like'em...__

* * *

_

Elizabeth heard voices in the background as she slowly regained consciousness. Her eyes were heavy, but she managed to open them. She looked around and saw a familiar figure sleeping uncomfortably in the chair next to her bed.

She wondered how long he had been sitting there and watched him sleep for a few moments. Soon, the memories of the last few days came flooding back. He had been so gentle and caring as he carried her to safety. If he had not arrived when he did…no, she refused to entertain those thoughts. Raising a hand to rub her throbbing head, she winced audibly at the extreme soreness in her muscles and the stabbing pain in her ribs.

The noise woke John. "Good morning," he said rubbing his eyes. He stood and moved closer to her side. "How are you feeling?"

"Well, I'm sore, but all things considered, I'm glad to be alive," she smiled and looked around. "Where are we? This isn't the Atlantis infirmary." She knew that room well. Usually, she was the one standing next to the bed. It was strange to be on the other side.

"We ran into a problem and couldn't make it through the gate, so we brought you back to Castoria. Don't worry...Carson's been taking great care of you," he smiled.

As if on cue, Carson strode into the room, "Aye, how is my patient doing this morning? It's good to see you awake finally."

She flashed a smile at him and then looked back at John while Carson worked on her IV.

"What kind of problem?" she asked.

"We're taking care of it," he lied. In truth, he had been camped out at Elizabeth's bedside since they'd arrived.

Luckily, the Wraith had not ventured into Castoria yet. For some reason, they remained away. It worried John, but for now, they were safe. Although, he wouldn't leave Elizabeth alone, just in case.

"John, what's going on?" Elizabeth didn't want to be shielded. She wanted to know what they were up against and wouldn't take no for an answer. John finally told her about the hive ship and its precarious location in front of the stargate.

"Oh my God," Elizabeth whispered with concern evident in her eyes.

Before she could say anything else, Jacob arrived to check on her. He strode up to her bedside, picked up her hand and kissed it lightly as he greeted her. Elizabeth smiled and blushed slightly. John rolled his eyes and looked away. The Prime Minister was trying his best to charm Elizabeth.

Unable to take it any longer, John excused himself and left the room. He found Ronon standing guard outside her room.

"I don't trust him."

"Neither do I" John responded. "Why don't you see what you can find out? Follow him for a few hours. See where he goes."

"With pleasure." He paused, "You got a plan to get us out of here?"

"I'm working on it. Let me know what you find out. I'll get Ruiz to stand guard."

* * *

Ronon followed Jacob after he left the infirmary. The first few hours were mundane. 

He watched Jacob perform his regular activities, and he was about to give up when he noticed Jacob stepping out of his office and discreetly looking around to see if anyone was watching him. He slipped away quickly taking a back stairway that led him outside of the city.

"Now, this is getting interesting," thought Ronon.

He trailed the Prime Minister back to the stargate. Ronon stayed hidden in the trees while Jacob walked towards the Wraith hive ship and met with the sympathizers who were camped protectively in front of the stargate.

They greeted him respectfully. Ronon gathered that it wasn't his first visit with this group.

He managed to get closer to the prime minister by blending in with the sympathizers. He wanted to get close enough to hear their conversation. Ronon stiffened when he heard Elizabeth's name.

"What are you up to?" he whispered and listened closely before retreating back to the trees.

* * *

Ronon found Sheppard sitting next to Elizabeth's bedside in the infirmary. Sheppard had just said something that made her laugh and then wince in pain. In addition to the bruises and cuts, she was suffering from two cracked ribs as a result of her beatings. Her face was still swollen and her eye had turned dark black, but she was still beautiful. John reached out and touched her hand gently. She looked down, surprised at his touch. 

When Ronon entered, John retracted his hand quickly, hoping he hadn't noticed. Elizabeth stirred feelings deep inside him. He knew he cared for her, more than he should.

"Hello Ronon," Elizabeth said. She still had a hard time reading Ronon.

"Dr. Weir…Colonel", he said, locking eyes with John. John knew what that look meant. He had found something. John nodded.

Looking back at Elizabeth, Ronon asked, "How are you feeling today?"

"Better," she replied, but she didn't miss the knowing glance they exchanged. She knew something was going on, even if she couldn't read Ronon's face as easily as she could John's.

"Elizabeth, I need to talk with Ronon. Would you excuse us for a minute?"

"John."

"I'll only be a minute."

"No, Colonel. I want to know what's going on. I can see it on your face. What's happening?"

John nodded at Ronon, and he began to explain.


	8. The Plan

_Warning: there are minor spoilers for Critical Mass in this chapter.

* * *

_

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa…you want me to do what?" cried Rodney.

They were gathered around Elizabeth's bed in the infirmary. It was a brainstorming meeting that would've normally taken place in the Atlantis briefing room, but they weren't on Atlantis, and Carson wouldn't let Elizabeth out of bed for an extended period of time.

She was still very much in charge, though. "Rodney, I understand your concern, but it's the only way."

"What?" he retorted sarcastically, "Am I supposed to just walk up to the Wraith and politely ask if I can get on their hive ship so I can upload a virus into their systems?"

"It was your idea," reminded Sheppard.

"No. Well, yes…the virus was my idea, but.."

John interrupted, "We need to be inside to get it onto the ship's system."

"And by we, you mean me…again!"

"Look…you and Ronon can blend in with the Wraith Sympathizers, which will allow you to get on the ship without being detected."

Elizabeth added, "And since you are using a program that's similar to the one the Trust had Col. Caldwell upload into the Atlantis system…"

"Yes, yes..I know…I should have plenty of time to get off the ship before the power supply is overloaded and it explodes," he looked at John. "And what if it doesn't work? Huh, what then?"

'You'll figure something out Rodney. You always do," said John tiring of the discussion.

"Oh, thank you Colonel…that's very comforting," he sighed and sat down.

* * *

Disguised as local villagers, Rodney and Ronon entered the hive ship at night with a group of Wraith sympathizers. Together, they walked down the long, dark hallway. 

Ronon noticed that the hall split into two passageways up ahead. He looked over at Rodney and caught his attention. They would break away from the group when they reached the split.

"Well, that was easy enough," said Rodney when they successfully separated from the group and were alone.

"Let's hope the rest is that easy. Keep your guard up. You never know when we might run into the others."

Rodney swallowed hard, "Yes, but you are here to protect me, right? I mean what happens if they…uh, what if they find us?

Ronon stared at him.

Hey, I'm just saying…I don't respond well to torture," said Rodney nervously.

"Don't you have work to do?"

"Yes, yes…" he said looking around, "we need to find a panel that I can patch into…um, this way."

Ronon sighed and followed.

Soon, Rodney stopped and started fiddling with a control panel for one of the doors. It took him a few minutes, but he was able to get it to open.

They entered the room. It was a small storage facility.

* * *

_She was back in the cold prison cell. This time, it was the Wraith interrogating her. She refused to give away the location of earth. The Wraith stepped forward to intimidate her, but she would not back down. _

_The Wraith motioned to Elias, who left the room. She turned back to Elizabeth with a menacing grin. A few seconds later, Elias returned with Sheppard, holding a gun to his head. Elizabeth's face went white and she gasped. _

"_Tell me how to get to your world," the Wraith demanded._

"_I-I can't do that," Elizabeth's voice was shaking. _

"_Then he will die," the Wraith walked over to John and thrust her hand onto his chest. John cried out in pain._

"NO!" she screamed, sitting up.

John almost fell out of the chair as Elizabeth screamed. He jumped up and put a hand on her shoulder.

Elizabeth looked up at John, relieved that it had only been a dream. She was shaken. The experience seemed so real.

She tried to calm her breathing as John sat down beside her. "It's okay. You're safe. It was just a dream," he said trying to comfort her.

"No, that was definitely a nightmare." She said with a half smile.

"Are you okay?" he had noticed that Elizabeth had not been sleeping well. He hoped that she would fare better when they returned to Atlantis.

"Yes…thank you John," she said looking up at him. The room was dark, empty. It was late, and they were alone. For a few moments, neither one said a word. He gazed down into her eyes wishing that he could take away her pain, wishing he had been able to stop them from taking her.

Elizabeth sensed his thoughts and reached towards him, "It's okay."

"What?" he asked.

"I'm going to be fine. My wounds are healing and Carson says…," her words trailed off as she noticed a movement out of the corner of her eye. She looked past John towards the doorway.

He turned his head to follow her gaze.

The main lights snapped on, and Jacob entered the room with a dozen soldiers. One was holding Ruiz – who had been stationed outside the door. Teyla, Beckett, and the rest of the team had also been accosted.

John stood, and Elizabeth stiffened.

"Prime Minister…what is the meaning of this?" asked Elizabeth cautiously.

"I am sorry, but you must come with us," he paused.

Elizabeth and John looked at each other. They were aware of the Prime Minister's plan to turn them over to the Wraith, but John had not expected him to move this quickly.

Elizabeth started to get out of bed, and John helped her. At that moment, she was very glad she had been able to convince Carson to let her wear normal clothes again.

"Jacob, you don't have to do this. We can help you," she said.

"You can protect us from the Wraith? You can stop the cullings?

He paused and stared doubtfully at both John and Elizabeth. "I didn't think so."

"We can help you fight them. We can give you weapons; teach you how to defend yourselves." John offered.

"It won't be enough." He looked at Weir, "Elizabeth, I value our friendship. Elias' deception was an act of treason, but nothing can change that now. A deal has been made."

"Jacob, it's not too late. Please let us help you," Elizabeth replied.

"Of all people, Elizabeth, you should understand why I am doing this. Like you, I have to protect my people. I am responsible for them. If I don't hand your team over to the Wraith, they will begin the culling immediately. If the tables were turned, you would make the same choice – to protect your people."

"No, Jacob…you're wrong. I would never turn my back on your people. I could not stand by and let them slaughter you." She glared at him, looking directly into his guilt-ridden eyes, "They will kill us. You know that." He knew she was right and looked away.

She could see that her words had registered with him. However, he had already resigned himself to the fact that they were a casualty of war.

"Your lives will not be forgotten. I will see to it that you are lauded as heroes, sacrificing yourselves to protect our lives and give us freedom from the cullings." He said.

Elizabeth's eyes widened. She looked at John in disbelief.

* * *

"What if someone comes in?" Ronon questioned. 

"I disabled the door. It can't be opened. The program should only take a few minutes to upload, but I have to hack into their system first. That…well, that might take longer."

"How long?"

"I don't know. We could continue to stand here and talk about it for a really long time, but I prefer to get back to work before they figure out that we're here."

Ronon looked away and started to pace anxiously.

"Do you mind? Brilliant scientist…trying to concentrate over here," said Rodney.

"Just hurry up." Ronon barked and sat down on one of the boxes littered around the room.

Rodney went back to work, punching keys on his computer. It took him about 30 minutes to hack into the system, but once he got in, he was able to upload the program.

"All right…it's done. The program will cause their power supply to overload, which will trigger a massive explosion. It will take about 45 minutes, which should give us plenty of time to get out of here before it blows up. By the time they realize what's happening, it will be too late."

"Okay, let's go," said Ronon looking over his shoulder at him, "and stay behind me."

Ronon and Rodney moved cautiously through the halls. When they made it back to the main hallway, they were able to successfully integrate back into another group of sympathizers. Both men moved slowly and silently, keeping their eyes down, not wanting to give themselves away.

They were close now. Rodney's heart started to race. They were going to make it. He couldn't wait to get off the ship, and then he heard a noise up ahead.

A group of people were being ushered onto the ship. He looked up. It was then that he saw them – Elizabeth, John, Teyla, Lorne and his men. They had been captured. "Oh no," he whispered and looked up at Ronon.

From the look on Ronon's face, Rodney was sure he had seen them also. Ronon glanced over at Rodney and yanked him into a side corridor.

* * *

TBC -- If you are enjoying the story, please let me know. I'm a feedback junkie. Do you like where this is going? I'm building up to the finale now, so R&R. Thx! 


	9. Rescue

Thanks again for all of the great reviews! I love 'em.

Anyway, here's the next chapter. Oh yeah…I added in a little bit of Shep Whumpage for those of you who asked for it. Enjoy. :)

* * *

The Prime Minister's guards escorted them onto the ship. John noticed that the long walk had tired Elizabeth, so he moved closer to her. She leaned against him, and he placed his arm around her for support. As Elizabeth felt the warmth of his body, she melted into him. She was cold, tired, and her side was aching. She needed rest. 

John's mind was working in overdrive, formulating a plan to get them out of this situation before they were taken by the Wraith and locked away, unable to escape. If Rodney and Ronon had been successful in uploading the virus, they wouldn't have much time to get off the ship before the power supply overloaded.

They were sandwiched between two groups of guards. John looked back at Lorne, signaling him silently. Lorne nodded in understanding. He and his men would try to take out the guards at the rear of the group. John and Teyla would hit the guards in front.

John looked down at Elizabeth again. She was breathing hard and stumbling from time-to-time. When she realized that he was watching her, she looked up to meet his worried gaze. He looked into her eyes, and she found herself desperately trying to gain strength from him.

He wanted to pick her up in his arms so she wouldn't have to walk any further, but now wasn't the time. Instead, he discreetly put his finger to his lips, removed his arm from around her waist, and motioned for her to move behind him. Elizabeth looked concerned, but she trusted John completely, so she consented.

John and Teyla deftly moved up behind the guards, slowly closing the distance as they walked through the hallway. When the time was right, they struck out.

The first two guards went down easy – they didn't see it coming. The other guards turned to fight. John was close enough to knock the gun out of the hand of the guard standing next to him. It landed on the floor and slid out of reach as John began to pummel the soldier. Meanwhile, Teyla was exchanging blows with another one of the guards.

In the rear, Lorne's team was gaining ground in their fight against the remaining guards. However, there were too many of them to control. One guard started to fire, which sent Rodney running for cover. Elizabeth and Carson crouched down against the wall to avoid the gunfire. Phillips got hit and went down. Three guards rushed forward. One grabbed Teyla from behind, putting her into a chokehold. The other two went after John. He freed himself from the grasp of first guard and lunged for one of the guns that had fallen on the ground.

As he landed on the ground, he felt a violent kick to his ribcage. He winced in pain, but kept reaching toward the gun. He grabbed it and spun around to face the guard that had kicked him, then he fired.

It was chaos. John looked around wildly trying to get a grasp of the situation. Teyla was losing her battle. Lorne and his men were struggling to gain control. And then he saw her – Elizabeth. The leader grabbed her by the hair and jerked her up to her feet. He quickly placed a gun to her head.

Looking directly at John, he said in a commanding voice. "Drop it…or she dies." As quickly as the commotion started, it came to a halt as everyone realized that Elizabeth's life was in jeopardy.

The soldiers trained their weapons on John. Teyla was still detained, and Lorne was the only other one who had managed to obtain a weapon. Once again, they were outgunned.

"I mean it…drop your gun now!" he demanded.

John clenched his jaw, looked at Elizabeth's wide eyes, and slowly dropped his gun.

The leader shoved Elizabeth down to the floor. John lurched forward to shield her from the fall, but the guards grabbed him and prevented him from helping her. John felt anger rise inside of him, but he quelled it knowing that the anger would only cloud his judgment.

He watched curiously as the leader bent down reverently to look at the guard that John shot and killed moments earlier.

"Friend of yours?" he said inquisitively.

"He was one of my best men," he stated flatly, and then looked up at John. "You will pay for this."

He nodded to his guards and stood slowly. They strengthened their grip on Sheppard's arms, ensuring that he would not be able to break away. The leader walked up to John and rammed him squarely in the face with the butt of his gun. John recoiled from the blow, feeling searing pain tear through his head. He licked the blood off his lips and then looked directly into the eyes of his attacker. His face was blank, showing no emotion.

"Pay for what?"

"If it weren't for our deal with the Wraith, I would kill you right here Colonel," he said striking a vicious blow to John's stomach, followed by another blow to the face. John reacted to the hot sting of pain in his stomach and face, but he refused to cry out. He took a deep, cleansing breath, tried to straighten up and responded, "Why don't you just let us go, then we can forget about all of this and try to be friends?"

"You aren't going anywhere until we find out more about where you came from," he responded hitting John in the gut repeatedly. John felt his knees weaken as he struggled to breathe.

"Stop it!" Elizabeth cried out. "Please." Her voice cracked, and her eyes were filled with tears. It was the first time she had seen him beaten ruthlessly, and she couldn't stand to watch it. It was tearing her up inside.

The leader chuckled and nodded to the men holding John. They released their grip on him, and he crumbled to the ground. The leader stood over him, spit and landed a final kick directly into John's ribs.

Elizabeth rushed to John's side as he lay on the ground reeling from the throbbing pain in his side. He was coughing, and his breathing was ragged. It troubled her to see him this way.

Elizabeth put her hand on his shoulder, "John, are you okay?" she whispered looking into his pain-filled eyes. She was scared, and he could see it. He struggled to push through the pain and recover. In her fragile condition, he didn't want her worrying about him.

"He'll be fine. Now, get up," The leader ordered coldly.

Teyla jerked free from the grasp of the guard that was holding her. She glared at the soldiers as she helped Elizabeth get John to his feet.

* * *

"We are so dead," said McKay pacing back and forth. 

"Calm down McKay."

"Oh, excuse me for being upset, but if you truly understood how screwed we are, you wouldn't be telling me to calm down!" Rodney whispered fervently. "We have less than 30 minutes to get out of here, create a distraction and get through the gate before this ship goes up in a massive explosion which, I might add, will destroy...oh, about half the planet, along with the stargate."

"Let's find out where they took 'em, and then we can all get out of here together."

Rodney looked up at him hopefully, "Do you have a plan?"

"Yes"

"Well…what is it?"

"Find them, and get out of here together," he replied.

"Oh, that's very funny. That's not a plan. We need to…"

Ronon put his hand up, "Just follow me, McKay. And try to be quiet."

* * *

John and Elizabeth were sitting side-by-side. His body was still throbbing from the beating, but he had mostly recovered. Elizabeth was relieved that John was alright, but she could feel herself growing weaker by the minute. She rested her head lightly on John's shoulder and sighed softly. John knew he needed to get her to safety soon. He and Carson exchanged worried glances, but there wasn't much the doctor could do until they were free. 

John looked around the small holding cell, and wondered how much time they had left.

"All right, we need to find a way to get out of here and through the gate before this thing blows up. Any ideas?"

"Colonel, we could try cutting into the wall near the control panel as we did before. I have a knife which they did not take," Teyla stated.

"Good. It worked last time. Let's try it again," he said getting up slowly and moving toward the front of the room. He pointed at a spot near the control panel which was located on the wall outside their cell. Teyla paused, aimed carefully, and then threw the knife.

It stuck in the wall, close to its intended location, but nothing happened.

"Anyone else got a…" before he could finish his statement, Lorne and his men were pulling out their knives. John smirked, remembering the rule that Ford had reminded him of months earlier in a similar situation, "One for them to find…"

"..and one to keep," Lorne finished the statement, then stood and gathered the small collection of knives. He handed them to John, who started throwing them at the wall, hoping one of them would hit something that would trigger the unlocking mechanism of the door.

* * *

Ronon and Rodney moved stealthily through the hallways. Rodney's breathing was erratic. He was jumpy and nervous. Every noise startled him. And, to make matters worse, time was quickly running out. 

Ronon thought he knew where they were being held, so Rodney followed behind him, trying his best to keep up.

Suddenly, Ronon stopped.

"What?" questioned Rodney.

"Shhh" Ronon whispered. He sensed something and was listening, waiting for it.

Then, Rodney heard it too -- footsteps. They were coming from up ahead. Ronon shoved Rodney into the wall. They pressed themselves into the corner, trying to hide as the footsteps came closer.

Rodney held his breath, not wanting to give away their location. As the Wraith approached, Ronon stepped out swiftly into the hall.

"What're you doing?" McKay screamed.

Ronon violently attacked the Wraith and threw him down onto the floor. Then, he pulled out his gun and squeezed the trigger. He looked over at Rodney who was staring at him in shock.

"Come on…we're almost there."

Rodney followed slowly, looking over his shoulder at the dead Wraith.

When he caught up with Ronon again, he rebuked him, "Oh, that's just great! Why'd you have to do that? If they find him, they're going to know something's wrong and come looking for us."

"Hopefully, we'll be gone by then. Besides, he deserved it. They all do," said Ronon irritably.

Sometimes, Ronon was a loose canon. It was hard for him to control his hatred for the Wraith. He wanted all of them to die, and he was happy to be the one who sent them to their deaths.

They walked along in silence for a few more minutes. Finally, Ronon looked over at Rodney and pointed ahead. "The holding cells should be up there on the left."

Rodney quickened his pace, moving ahead of Ronon. He was the first one to turn the corner and enter the room.

When he walked into the holding cell area, he felt a rush of air as a sharp object passed right in front of his face. He screamed, covering his head and crouching down on the floor as the knife narrowly missed his head and stuck into the wall behind him.

"McKay?" said Sheppard. "McKay…you can get up now."

Rodney slowly uncovered his head and stood up, "What are you doing? You could've killed me! Did you see that? It was just inches from my face. If it had been any closer…"

"Rodney…just get us out of here." Sheppard said impatiently.

He turned around. The wall was full of knives near the control panel. "What were you doing?"

John put his hands on his hips and responded with a smirk, "Just a little knife throwing practice,"

Rodney shook his head in disbelief. "What would you people do without me," he muttered as he started to work on the control panel.

As the doors opened, a loud alarm began to sound. John looked over at McKay. "Rodney, what did you do?"

"Why are you looking at me?" he said clearly insulted. "I didn't do it. If it weren't for me, you'd still be in there throwing knives at the wall." Then Rodney realized that the Wraith Ronon killed earlier had probably been discovered. His face went white.

"Oh, crap," he said glancing over at Ronon.

"They are coming," said Teyla.

Ronon looked at John, "We need to get out of here, now."

John ran to the back of the cell where Elizabeth was sitting. He gently helped her to her feet, slipped an arm around her waist and led her out of the cell. He looked at Ronon, "Which way?"

* * *

Ronon and Teyla were in the lead. 

John glanced back at Rodney. "Were you able to upload the program?"

"Yes, and if you hadn't been captured, we'd be off this ship by now."

"Take it easy, McKay. How long do we have?"

Rodney glanced down at his computer, "15 minutes and counting."

"See…that's plenty of time," Sheppard responded.

He looked down at Elizabeth who was struggling to keep up with their pace. Her face was pained and her hand was resting on her ribs. They were hurting. He wanted to slow down to make it easier for her, but they didn't have time. He still had to figure out how they were going to get through the gate before the explosion.

He looked up and saw that Teyla had stopped Ronon.

"I sense them…they are very close," she said looking over her shoulder at John and the rest of the team.

Rodney pulled a gun out from under his coat. His hand was shaking as he pointed it forward. John looked over at him and frowned. "Give me that," he said taking the gun and moving up to stand with Ronon and Teyla.

"Is there another way to get out of here?" he asked.

"No," replied Ronon.

"Then, this is it?"

They both nodded.

Ronon pulled out a stunner and handed it to Teyla. John made sure Elizabeth was protected by Lorne and his men. They advanced forward until they were near the main hallway. As they turned the corner, they ran into four Wraith guards.

* * *

Okay…yes, I know. Another cliffhanger, but I couldn't resist. Evil grin. This is the last one…I promise. Please R&R! I live for feedback. Okay, maybe I don't live entirely for it, but I really, really like it. 


	10. Escape

_Thanks for the continued support and reviews! Here's Chapter 10-- Escape.

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_

"Get down," yelled Sheppard as the shooting started. He managed to take out one of the guards. Teyla and Ronon's shots also connected, taking out two more. The last Wraith evaded them and retreated to round up more guards.

Quickly, John and Teyla grabbed the downed Wraith's weapons and redistributed them to the rest of the team.

"Keep moving," John ordered knowing that the sounds of the previous gun battle would soon bring Wraith down on them in staggering numbers. They needed to get out soon or they would be grossly outnumbered.

The alarm was still going off as they moved slowly into the main hallway. It was completely empty, which greatly disturbed John.

He looked around and then caught Ronon's eye. "Where is everyone?"

"They are near -- and they are angry," Teyla responded.

"They probably figured out that we put a bug in their operating system. Look, I've got a bad feeling about this." He looked back at Elizabeth protectively, then said to Lorne, "Watch our six."

"Yes sir."

Impatient because of their slow progress, Rodney blurted out, "You know, I understand that we have to be careful here, but do I need to remind everyone that this ship is about to go up like a firecracker in less than 10 minutes?"

"I know that McKay, but something isn't right here. It feels like a…." his words were cut short as John swerved to miss a blast that came from up ahead, "…trap."

They returned fire while struggling to find cover. John heard gunfire at the back of the group and turned to see the sympathizers – mercenaries -- firing at them also. They were caught in the crossfire from both groups.

"Dammit" he said as he moved forward motioning for the group to follow him. If they could break through the line of Wraith up ahead, they might be able to make it out of the ship in time.

John started to lay down cover fire for the group. "Go," he yelled. Ronon, Lorne and his men advanced forward trying to create a safe path of escape from the ship. All were firing directly into the group of Wraith guards that protected the exit. One-by-one, the Wraithbegan to fall. Unable to withstand the direct fire any longer, the remaining Wraith retreated, leaving the exit unguarded.

That was the lucky break they were hoping for. "Now", yelled Lorne. John grabbed Elizabeth's hand and pulled her towards the exit. The others followed after them bringing up the rear. They were still receiving fire from the Wraith and the mercenaries, but they were out of the ship now and making their way towards the gate.

"Rodney, how much time do we have left?" asked Elizabeth as she gasped for breath.

"About 5 minutes…we need to get out of here now"

"When you get to the gate, dial Atlantis," she ordered.

"Get down" yelled John as he shielded Elizabeth from a blast that came uncomfortably close to them. John immediately returned fire as more mercenaries from the camp started to join in the fight.

"McKay…go" ordered John, and Rodney took off running towards the gate.

The rest of the team was spread out trying to defend themselves as they made their way towards the gate. Ruiz was hit by a blast from a stunner. Carson and Lorne picked him up and began dragging him along with them.

Rodney reached the DHD and started to dial the address.

He turned around to see how far the rest of the group was behind him and came face-to-face with a Wraith. Rodney gasped and started to back away.

"Did you really think you could escape from us?" the Wraith asked.

"Well, actually…yes, I did…I mean, I do," he stammered.

"You will die," the Wraith hissed, stepping forward to grab Rodney. As his hand came close, he was enveloped in a blue light – hit by the blast of a stunner. As the Wraith fell to the ground, Rodney saw Teyla behind it holding the stunner that fired the shot. He swallowed hard, relieved. "Thanks."

Teyla tilted her head in acknowledgement and smiled. She began to turn back around towards the sounds of gunfire when a mercenary came out of hiding.

"Teyla!" Rodney tried to warn her, but it was too late. The mercenary fired his gun, and she took a bullet in the shoulder.

"No, no, no, no…" yelled Rodney. As he ran towards her, Ronon appeared. He shot the mercenary in the head, killing him.

"She needs help," yelled Rodney. Ronon looked down at Teyla, who was losing a lot of blood. He scooped her up into his arms and headed towards the gate. As he looked back, he saw the others quickly approaching.

"Get through the gate now!" yelled John stopping to fire back at the enemies who were chasing them.

Ronon and Rodney looked at each other for a moment, then Rodney ran up the stairs and stepped through the gate. Ronon followed, moving up the stairs backwards and firing his weapon with Teyla in his arms. He was laying cover fire for Carson and Lorne, who were helping a barely conscious Ruiz up the steps to the gate.

"We're almost there, son," Carson encouraged Ruiz as others were running up the steps and through the gate.

Elizabeth was with John who was bringing up the rear of the group. John looked at her, "Elizabeth…go."

She was reluctant to leave him, "John" she said hesitating.

"I mean it…go…now!" he ordered harshly. Then, seeing the concern in her eyes, he added softly, "I'll be right behind you."

She turned back towards the gate and started to run towards its protection as John continued to shoot at those who were pursuing them. Her foot slipped when she reached the base of the stairs and she fell hard into the dirt. It knocked the wind out of her, and she lay on the ground trying to catch her breath.

"Elizabeth!" John yelled, not knowing if she had simply fallen or taken a bullet. He stopped firing at their adversaries and turned to run towards her. As he turned, he felt a hot searing pain in his arm. He'd been hit.

Not caring about himself, he kept running. "Elizabeth…are you okay?" he yelled.

She turned around to look at him, and he felt a wave of relief sweep through him.

"I'm all right. I just twisted my ankle" she said trying to reassure him. As he bent down to help her, she noticed the blood staining his jacket, "John, you're bleeding," she said touching his arm.

"Yeah, yeah…it's okay…c'mon," he said lifting her up and carrying her up the stairs.

They were the last ones through the stargate.

"Raise the shield," he ordered as soon as they entered the gate room. Not a second later, the room shook as a catastrophic explosion occurred on the other side of the gate.

John carefully lowered Elizabeth so that she could stand on her own. He kept his arm around her for support and she clung to his shoulder, not wanting to put pressure on her ankle. They gave each other a knowing glance. "That was close," she said.

Carson ran up to them, noticing the blood on John's arm and Elizabeth's ankle injury, "I want to see you both in the infirmary immediately" he paused and then added, "And that's an order."

John rolled his eyes, while Elizabeth raised one eyebrow and smiled at him. They were home.

* * *

_TBC -- __Okay, I kept my promise...no cliffhangers! They're all home now, and there's just one more chapter on the way. I hope you're still enjoying the story. Pls. read and review! _


	11. Epilogue

A/N: This is kind of short, but I guess I had to end it somewhere...enjoy!

* * *

_Two weeks later.

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_

John knew where to find Elizabeth. Whenever she needed to think – to sort things out – she headed for the balcony where she could feel the cool ocean breeze and breathe in the clean air.

She glanced up when the door opened, but didn't turn around. "How's Teyla?" she asked as he walked up and leaned on the railing next to her.

"She's feeling better. Beckett says she'll be fine," he paused and looked over at her for a few moments, "How about you?"

She continued to stare out at the water and then finally turned towards him, "I'm fine." She paused, then added, "Thanks John"

Surprised, he questioned, "For what?"

"For coming for me…"

"Well" he smiled mischievously, "if I hadn't come for you, then I would've had to take over your job. I can't bear the thought of sitting in those briefings every single day."

She smiled and shook her head at him. Then, she turned serious again, "Still…thank you."

His piercing eyes looked down into hers. She hated when he looked at her like that. It made her feel like he could read her deepest thoughts. She looked away and focused her view on the ocean below. "You know, there were times I thought I might not make it back….that I would never enjoy this view again."

He watched the wind blow her hair, and she shivered involuntarily. He wanted to take her in his arms like he had done on Castoria, but he knew it wasn't appropriate here. Instead, he stepped forward and leaned against the railing again – his shoulder touching hers. She looked over at him.

"But, you're here now," he said.

"Yes…I am." She replied turning her head and looking out at the ocean again.

They stood together watching the waves for a few moments in silence.

"You know," said John trying to lighten the mood, "I did take a beating and a bullet in the arm for you. You'd think that would get me a raise or at least a day off."

She laughed, "It was only a graze, Colonel."

He smiled back at her, satisfied that he was able to make her laugh.

They stood looking at each other in comfortable silence for a few moments, their eyes sharing the emotion that they would never voice. Then, the silence was broken as the gate alarm went off.

A familiar voice came through their headsets, "Colonel Shepard, Dr. Weir…we've got unscheduled off-world activation."

"Be right there," Weir replied. She took one look back at the ocean and then looked at John with a smile.

"Well, back to work," she said as she headed towards the door.

He smiled at her and followed – glad that everything was finally back to normal.

_Fini

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_

Well, that's it! My first fanfic. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thanks for coming along with me on this journey. Please review and let me know what you thought about the story. I've got a few other ideas rumbling around in my head, so let me know if you'd like to see some more stories from me.


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